Foldable cradle



1962 G. RUDDY 3,049,727

FOLDABLE CRADLE Filed March 10, 1959 INVENTOR l9 Geruld Ruddy M,E' %KM@T &

HIS ATTORNEYS 3,d49,727 Patented Aug. 21, 1962 i tine 3,049,727 FOLDABLE CLE Gerald Ruddy, 13 Union St., Lawrence, Mass. Filed Mar. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 798,462 3 Claims. (Cl. 599) This invention relates to toy cradles, that is, to a dolls cradle, and more particularly to a foldable cradle structure which can be easily set up or taken down.

This invention has for its purpose the provision of a foldable cradle construction which is, among other things, light in weight, but having its parts so arranged that it can be easily manipulated and which, at the same time, is capable of manufacture at moderate cost.

The cradle construction of the present invention includes a flexible and easily foldable or easily collapsed cradle body or hammock to support the doll and provided with a hood portion at the head thereof which is also easily folded.

The cradle has a horizontal rectangular frame to which pairs of legs are pivoted at points about equi-distant from the ends of the frame. The outer ends of each pair of legs are joined by a rocker member or portion, advantageously being made of a one-piece metal strip similar to the leg portions and to the rectangular frame. To support the cradle for use the legs are held in upright position but spread apart at the bottom. To lock each leg in position a short link member is pivoted near the leg pivot either to the frame member or the leg, and such link has a hook at its free end which is engageable with the opposite member, either the leg or the frame, whichever arrangement is considered desirable.

The hood portion of the cradle is supported by one or more suitable bow members. These bow members are of general U-shape. The side portions of one of the bow members may be so connected with the upper portions of the legs near the hood that they are rigid with these legs.

' Consequently, when the legs are locked in set-up position this bow member is automatically swung into its open position where it will support the entrance of the hood portion of the cradle body. A second hood bow member may have its side portions pivoted to the sides of the first bow member at a point above the rectangular frame. This second bow member will then support the intermediate portion of the hood.

If desired, only a single bow member may be used. In this case the two legs adjacent the hood may conveniently be provided with short extensions above the points where they are pivoted to the rectangular frame, and the sides of the bow member may be pivoted to the ends of these extensions. Then the portions of the bow member projecting downwardly below the pivots will be provided with hooks at their lower ends to engage projections placed on the sides of the rectangular frame so as to lock the two legs and the bow member in upright position. In this case the hood portion of the cradle body will be somewhat shorter than before.

The leg arrangement is such that the supporting member for the foot portion of the cradle can be swung upwardly, when it is desired to fold the cradle, and the rocker portion thereof carried around the end of the rectangular frame and folded downwardly against the top of this frame. The supporting member for the head portion of the cradle is to be swung in the same angular direction, but the position of its pivots is such that the rocker portion will be folded against the underside of the frame, and will automatically carry the cradle body with it to folded position.

Although the foldable cradle construction of the present invention has been devised particularly as a dolls cradle, it will be understood that it may also be used as a babys cradle.

The invention will be better understood from a consideration of the accompanying drawing and the following more detailed description, it being understood that these disclosures are of an exemplifying nature and that the compass of the invention is described in the claims appended hereto. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cradle in upright position, the cradle body being indicated only in outline;

FIG. 2 is a view of the cradle construction of FIG. 1 in folded position, and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modification, and showing the cradle body in outside View.

Referring to these drawings the cradle construction comprises frame which is a closed rectangle having a front side rail 11, a rear side rail 12, a cross member 13 at the foot and a cross member 14 at the head. This frame element 10 is advantageously made of metal strip although it might also be made of suitable plastic material.

Two supporting members, indicated generally by reference numerals 15 and 16, are appropriately mounted on the side members of frame :10. Supporting member 15 has leg elements 17 and 18 which are interconnected at their lower ends by a rocker portion or member 19. Such member is advantageously made integral with the legs 17 and 18. Rocker portion 19 is of greater length than the width spacing of legs 17 and 18 in order to provide a stable structure. The outer ends of the rocker portion are connected with the lower ends of the legs by short horizontal portions 20 and 21. This arrangement lends itself to economical manufacture through the use of metal strip similar to that of frame 10 and bent to the shape just described and shown in FIG. 1.

The head supporting member 16 is of similar construction and configuration, being made of legs 22 and 23 with an interconnecting rocker portion 24. The upper ends of legs 22 and 23, however, are somewhat different than legs 17 and 1s, as will presently appear.

Legs 17 and 18 are pivoted at 25 and 26 respectively to the front and rear side members 11 and 12. The legs are provided with links 27 and 28 which are pivoted at their lower ends, as indicated at 29 and 30 to the respective legs 17 and 18 a short distance (some four to six inches) below the respective pivots 25 and 26. Links 27 and 28 have hook portions 31 at their opposite ends. These hooks are received upon pins 32 which are mounted in fixed outwardly projecting position on the respective side frame members 11 and 12.

Referring again to supporting member 16, its legs are pivoted near their upper ends to the respective side rails 11 and 12 in the same manner as legs 17 and 18, only one of these pivot points 33 being visible. Legs 22 and 23 extend a short distance above the rails in order to support two hood bow members 34 and 35. These are both of U-shape and the side portions 36 and 37 of bow member 34 are rigidly connected to the upper end portions of legs 22 and 23 respectively.

For this purpose pivot 33 is made in the form of a rivet or bolt which firmly secures the lower end of side member 36 to leg member 22. Somewhat above this point, for example, from two to three inches, a second rivet 38 also joins the parts together. This rivet, in addition, serves as a pivot for the lower end of the front side bar of bow 35. The rear side bar 41} is similarly pivoted at 41 to the upper end of leg 23, and the rivet which forms pivot 41 also constitutes the upper connection between leg member 23 and side member 37.

Legs 22 and 23 are locked in position by means of links 42 and 43 which are of the same construction and arrangement as links 27 and 28, and which are adapted to engage projecting pins on side bars 11 and 12 similar to pins 32.

As indicated in the drawings, supporting members 15 and 16 are not held at right angles to the rectangular frame element 10, but, on the other hand, the rocking links 27, 28, 42 and 43 and extension 49 (FIG. 3) are so arranged as to spread apart the rocker portions 19 and 24 by a considerably greater distance than the spacing of the pivots, such, for example, as pivots 25 and 33. This not only gives the cradle greater stability, but also places the entrance to the hood portion '45 at the desired inclination (FIGS. 1 and 3).

The cradle body 44 is made of fabric, plastic or other suitable flexible material and is secured along its upper margin to the side rails 11 and 12 and the foot rail 13 of rectangular frame '10. This may be accomplished by means of stitching or in any other convenient manner (see FIG. 3). Body 44 is in the form of a horizontal oblong container with vertical sides and a generally horizontally or curved hammock-like bottom. It is held open at the top by means of the rigid horizontal frame 10. The foot portion is curved upwardly in any desired shape, and the rear portion is also curved upwardly and continued to form a hood portion 45. Such hood portion is secured along its forward margin to the top portion of bow member 34 and to the sides 36 and 37 thereof. This attachment may be made by means of stitching in the same manner as the connection of the body 44 to the frame 10. A decoration 46 may be placed around the margin of the opening to the head portion 45, if desired.

Inasmuch as the sides 36 and 37 of the bow member 34 extend upwardly in line with the legs 22 and 23, the opening to hood member 45, particularly at its top is located nearly at the lengthwise center of the cradle. In other words, the hood portion 45 extends forward almost onehalf the length of the cradle and additional support for the hood is, therefore necessary for the intermediate portion of the hood and this is afforded by means of the second hood bow '35. This member may or may not be attached to the interior surface of the hood 45, as desired.

Now referring to FIG. 2 which shows the cradle of FIG. 1 in folded position, after releasing the locking members 27 and 28 from their respective projections 32, the supporting member 15 is swung to the right in FIG. 1 about its pivots 25 and 26 carrying the rocker portion 19 around the foot of the cradle frame 10 and to a position above this frame. It may rest, for example, temporarily against the still erected hood bow member 34. After this, the links 42 and 43 of the rear supporting member 16 may be released from the side rails 11 and 12 and this supporting member is then swung in the same angular direction as before, that is, toward the foot cross member 13 of frame 10.

This does two things: first of all it moves the hood portion 45 of the cradle body towards the left until it is completely folded, as shown in FIG. 2, and in the second place the rocker portion 24 in its movement to the right forces the bottom of the cradle body 44 upwardly into collapsed position against the bottom of frame 10. Then the folding of member 15 against the top of this frame may be completed. In this folded condition the cradle may be stowed away or easily transported from one place to another.

Referring now to the modified form of cradle shown in FIG. 3, the rectangular frame 10 is the same as the construction shown in FIG. 1, and the supporting member 15 for the foot of the cradle is also of identical construction, with its legs 17 and 18 pivoted to the side rails 11 and 12 of the rectangular frame as before, and also provided with the locking link members one of which, 27, may be seen. In addition, the body 44, except for the head portion, is identical with that used in connection with the frame of FIG. 1, having the vertical side portions, the curved or hammock shaped bottom portion with the margin of its open top secured by stitching, or otherwise, to the frame portion 10.

In the construction of FIG. 3, however, the arrangement of the hood portion 45a and that of the supporting member 16a are somewhat different from those shown in FIG. 1. The legs 22 and 23 are pivoted at their upper ends to the respective side rails 11 and 12 in the same manner as in the FIG. 1 construction, one of these pivots being visible in FIG. 3 at 33. However, legs 22 and 23 are each provided with an extension 47 above the pivot which is longer than the extensions of these legs in FIG. 1 and, moreover, a pivotal connection 48 is made at the end of each of these extensions to a hood bow member 49. This bow member is of generally U-shape, similar to the bow member 35 of FIG. 1, for example. Bow member 49 is secured by the stitching indicated at 50 to the marginal portion of the entrance to the hood portion 45a. Also, the lower end of bow member 49 is releasably attached, as by the hook 51, to a projection 52 on the front rail 11 of rectangular frame 10. The opposite leg of bow member 49' is similarly connected to the rear side rail 12. Thus bow member 49, in the construction of FIG. 3, serves the double purpose of supporting hood 45a and of locking the supporting member 1611 in position.

It will be understood that the cradle construction can be modified in other ways without departing from the scope of the invention which is intended to be set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a folding cradle structure, a horizontal rectangular frame element, a cradle body of flexible material suspended therefrom by attachment thereto along the peripheral margin of said body, said body having a hood portion at one end above said frame, two supporting members each including a pair of leg elements interconnected at their outer ends by a portion forming a rocker, the two leg elements of each of said supporting members being pivoted at the inner end portions of said elements to the respective opposite sides of said frame element at points equidistant inwardly from the opposite ends of said frame element, releasable means for locking the leg elements in a downwardly extending direction so as to hold each of said supporting members in cradle supporting position, a hood bow member of U-shape having its opposite ends connected to the respective adjacent supporting members, one of said supporting members being swingable about its pivots to collapse and fold said hood portion against the top of said frame and to bring the rocker portion thereof into juxtaposition to the lower side of said frame element so as to collapse and fold said cradle body against the bottom of said frame.

2. A folding cradle structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the side portions of the U-shaped hood bow member are formed as extensions of the leg elements of the supporting member adjacent said hood, and wherein a second hood bow member is provided having its side portions pivoted at their ends to said extensions.

3. A folding cradle structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the leg elements of the supporting member which is adjacent said hood are provided with extensions beyond their respective pivots, the U-shaped bow member having its side portions pivoted at points spaced from their ends and adjacent the ends of said extensions, the parts of said how member outwardly of said pivot points having hooks at their ends for engagement with projections on the sides of the rectangular frame member to lock the supporting member in supporting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 158,030 Wagner Apr. 4, 1950 1,633,864 Klingelsmith et a1. June 28, 1927 1,905,128 Benson Apr. 25, 1933 2,300,425 Kiesow Nov. 3, 1942 2,514,309" Burlin July 4, 1950 2,688,997 Miller Sept. 14, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 240,268 Great Britain Oct. 1, 1925 

